[He is so still until he isn't, until he's so close to her and looking for her eyes. For a minute she doesn't think she has any. She doesn't think she can see. She can't breathe. It's been so long since anybody got this close to her besides Hannibal, except for Will as she was dying, except for Alana as she fell from the window. It's been so long since she's been with people. Months and months, though it feels like years. She's been so alone.]
[She isn't alone anymore, and it's too much to take. Her eyes squeeze shut in the face of his search for her. Suddenly she's crying, her tears sinking into the teddy bear's fur as she makes no noise, no sound, she has to be quiet.]
Okay. Okay.
[Okay, she trusts him. Okay, she believes him. But it is not okay. She feels broken, and the way she's acting, she knows she must be.]
I wasn't strong, Ben. I'm s--
[But what else could she have done? Where could she have gone, when everyone was convinced of her guilt, when she was guilty, when she was so afraid of being caught? She would have been put in a cage either way. At least this way she got to choose it.]
[Her heart is constricted, beating too fast. She can barely breathe. She opens her eyes and looks at him and pants, desperate, weak. So weak.]
no subject
[She isn't alone anymore, and it's too much to take. Her eyes squeeze shut in the face of his search for her. Suddenly she's crying, her tears sinking into the teddy bear's fur as she makes no noise, no sound, she has to be quiet.]
Okay. Okay.
[Okay, she trusts him. Okay, she believes him. But it is not okay. She feels broken, and the way she's acting, she knows she must be.]
I wasn't strong, Ben. I'm s--
[But what else could she have done? Where could she have gone, when everyone was convinced of her guilt, when she was guilty, when she was so afraid of being caught? She would have been put in a cage either way. At least this way she got to choose it.]
[Her heart is constricted, beating too fast. She can barely breathe. She opens her eyes and looks at him and pants, desperate, weak. So weak.]